What questions are on a depression test?

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Quick Answer

Questions about sleep patterns, appetite, feelings of sadness and weight trends appear on depression tests, according to UT Southwestern Medical Center. Questions about energy level and opinions about whether life is worth living also appear on these screening tools.

Depression frequently affects people's ability to fall and stay asleep, so questions about patterns revolve around how long it takes to get to sleep, the number of times they wake up during the middle of the night and whether they wake up before they need to or not. Questions also cover the amount of sleep that respondents get during a 24-hour period, according to UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Depression also affects the eating habits of many people. In some cases, the appetite atrophies, while in others, it accelerates, so this condition either causes a dip or a spike in consumption of food. Perception about recent weight changes is also a subject of the questions, notes UT Southwestern Medical Center.

People who are depressed sometimes lose interest in their former activities, so there are questions regarding engagement in one's hobbies as well as a general sense of one's energy level and ongoing fatigue. Questions about self-blaming and perceptions of the value of living also show up on these screenings, reports UT Southwestern Medical Center.